Rental Unit Conservation Law
The Rental Unit Conservation Law regulates the licensing, operation, standards and conditions for rental housing within the City of Columbia. This regulation specifies that all rental housing is issued a Certificate of Compliance. This certificate is a statement that the rental unit for which it was issued meets the general licensing ordinance, the Zoning Ordinance, the Property Maintenance Code and other applicable standards. It is unlawful to operate within the city any apartment house, rooming house, two-family dwelling, or a single rental unit without a current certificate of compliance.
Procedure for issuance of a certificate:
- Apply for a certificate on the form provided by the Public Works Department.
- Pay all registration and inspection fees when the application is submitted.
- Have the vented mechanical appliances, gas furnace, boiler, water heaters, etc., inspected and certified by a licensed heating, ventilation and air conditioning mechanic. You will need to arrange for this inspection with an HVAC contractor. Have the mechanic complete the HVAC certification form and submit it with the application and fees.
- Have the rental units inspected by a city inspector. After a satisfactory completed and executed application is submitted a city inspector will contact you to make an appointment to inspect the rental units.
- If there are no violations noted at the inspection the certificate will be issued.
- If violations are noted, a few days after the inspection you will receive a correction notice describing the needed repairs, and a period for making this corrections to the building or grounds.
- After you have corrected the deficiencies described in the inspection report, contact this division and arrange for a reinspection.
- If there are no violations noted during the reinspection, we will issue a certificate.
We recommend that owners and renters of rental housing familiarize themselves with the Rental Unit Conservation Law that can be found in the City Code of Ordinances, Chapter 22, Article V
Application For Certificate of Compliance, Rental Unit Conservation Law